- A Point of Order is an intervention by a Member who believes that rules or customary procedures of the House have been incorrectly applied.
- A Member may rise on points of order to bring to the attention of the Speaker any breach, unparliamentary remarks, lack of quorum or other violations.
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There was a light moment in the National Assembly on Wednesday as Mumias East MP Peter Salasya fumbled on some parliamentary terms.
While addressing the House, Salasya mixed up standing orders when he rose on a point of order during debate on the contentious Finance Bill, 2024.
A point of order is an intervention by a Member who believes that rules or customary procedures of the House have been incorrectly applied, overlooked or abused during proceedings.
A Member may rise on points of order to bring to the attention of the Speaker any breach of the relevance or repetition rules, unparliamentary remarks, or a lack of quorum, among other violations.
Salasya rose on a point of order after Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang'ula motioned that he be allowed to speak.
Once his microphone went live, the first-term MP confessed that it was his first time to stand on a Point of Order.
"I have never stood on a Point of Order but let me try to speak on point of order. That one is the point of order number 91?" He asked amid laughter.
As he continued to speak, Wetang'ula cut him short and offered to explain to the MP the right procedure to raise a point of order.
"Order Salasya, Standing Order 31 deals with the adjournment of the House, it can't be the one which you are standing," he said.
The legislators present in the House burst out laughing as MP Salasya corrected himself.
"Yes, Mr Speaker, I'm standing on Point of Order number 91," he said.
The legislator was making a point of order after he was mentioned during a debate on the Finance Bill, 2024.
Salasya asked to be pardoned as he was still getting used to Parliamentary terms and rules of procedure.
He then went ahead to stand on the point of order.
Any member may raise a point of order at any time during the speech of another member through the Speaker.
If the request is acceded to, the member is required to indicate the Standing Order upon which he or she has risen.
When a member has the floor, other members must listen in silence.
However, interruptions of debate are only allowed when raising a point of order, upon a matter of privilege suddenly arising, upon a point of information or elucidation and by raising a point of procedure.
During debate, Wetang'ula appealed to seasoned legislators to be magnanimous and guide first-term MPs instead of heckling them down whenever they make mistakes on the floor of the House.